Who are the Irish bred horses that competed in CSIO5* team competitions throughout the 2025 season?
Who are the breeders responsible for bringing these great horses into the world?
While the total number of Irish bred CSIO5* team competitors is slightly lower than in 2024, it is still important to take the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the breeders on their respective breeding successes.
THE OVERVIEW
Fourteen CSIO5* team competitions took place throughout the 2025 season;
Abu Dhabi (UAE), Ocala (USA), Rome (ITA), St Gallen (SUI), La Baule (FRA), Rotterdam (NED), Aachen (GER), Falsterbo (SWE), Hickstead (GBR), Dublin (IRL), Brussels (BEL), Calgary (CAN), St Tropez (FRA) and the Longines League of Nations (LLN) Final in Barcelona (ESP).
Irish bred horses made a total of 13 CSIO5* team appearances, featuring at 11 of the 14 venues. These were:
BBS McGregor & Abdullah Mohd Al Marri (UAE)
ESI Rockey & Seamus Hughes Kennedy (IRL)
HHS Los Angeles &: Michael Pender (IRL)
James Kann Cruz & Shane Sweetnam (IRL)
Pacino Amiro & Bertram Allen (IRL)
Among the Irish bred horses, BBS McGregor and HHS Los Angeles had the greatest number of CSIO5* Nations Cup appearances in 2025, with four apiece. ESI Rocky lined out three times, with James Kann Cruz and Pacino Amiro each representing Team Ireland once at CSIO5* level this season.
THE BREEDERS
Three of the five Irish bred horses who competed on CSIO5* teams in 2025 were bred in County Kilkenny. Two of these, ESI Rocky and HHS Los Angeles, were bred by cousins Andrew Hughes (Ennisnag Stud) and Marion Hughes (Hughes Horse Stud).
BBS McGregor - bred by Marguerite Ryan, Co. Kilkenny.
ESI Rockey - bred by Ennisnag Stud, Co. Kilkenny.
HHS Los Angeles - bred by Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny.
James Kann Cruz - bred by Patrick & Shane Connolly, Co. Galway.
Pacino Amiro - bred by Simon Scott, Co. Donegal.
THE CROSSES
Sires & damsires of the Irish bred CSIO5* team horses. None of the five horses share a sire, dam sire or damline. Clover Hill appears as the grand dam sire for both James Kann Cruz and Pacino Amiro.
BBS McGregor (VDL Cardento x Mark Twain xx)
ESI Rockey (Stakkato Gold x For Pleasure)
HHS Los Angeles (Le Roi x Cavalier Royale)
James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising)
Pacino Amiro (Pacino x NC Amiro)
TEAM IRELAND
Ireland participated in 11 of the 14 CSIO5* team competitions in 2025, winning in Abu Dhabi and La Baule. They finished second at the LLN final in Barcelona, following a jump-off with Great Britain, and placed third in the Aga Khan Nations Cup of Dublin.
Irish-bred horses featured on both of Ireland’s winning teams, delivering double clears in each instance - Michael Pender’s HHS Los Angeles in Abu Dhabi and Seamus Hughes-Kennedy’s ESI Rocky in La Baule.
Congratulations to each of the breeders who had a horse on a CSIO5* team throughout the 2025 season.
Full breeding details of above horses (at the time of competition & in alphabetical order):
BBS McGregor (ISH) - 2012 gelding by VDL Cardento out of Random Chance, by Mark Twain xx. Breeder: Marguerite Ryan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Al Shira'aa Stables. Rider: Abdullah Mohd Al Marri (UAE)
ESI Rockey (ISH) - 2015 gelding by Stakkato Gold out of Clonaslea, by For Pleasure. Breeder: Ennisnag Stud, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Clare Hughes. Rider: Seamus Hughes Kennedy (IRL)
HHS Los Angeles (ISH) - 2014 mare by Le Roi (ZFDP) out of China Cavalier (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Breeder: Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Bravo Hughes LTD. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL)
James Kann Cruz (ISH) – 2013 gelding by Kannan (KWPN) out of CSF Telly Cruz (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Breeders: Patrick & Shane Connolly, Co. Galway. Owner: Gizmo Partners LLC. Rider: Shane Sweetnam (IRL)
Pacino Amiro (ISH) – 2012 gelding by Pacino out of Carnone Dancing Queen, by NC Amiro. Breeder: Simon Scott, Co. Donegal. Owner: Aiden McGrory. Rider: Bertram Allen (IRL)
